# Technical term for people moving side to side **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316 "2016-04-06T01:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/1 "2016-04-06T01:44:08Z")
When two people are walking together and they both move the same way, what’s this called? ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/2 "2016-04-06T02:17:45Z")
A Chorus Line. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/3 "2016-04-06T02:32:40Z")
I’m guessing you mean when two people are walking on a collision course and then keep dodging the same way, so they’re still on a collision course. I don’t think there’s a formal name for it, but some [urban dictionaries](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=droitwich&defid=3880177) mention “the pavement tango”, which I like. * * * It occurs to me though that there are a number of related phenomena, and a good nomenclature should cover all. For example, when giving way (physically, or just in speaking) and both participants pause to let the other act, then both move/speak at the same time, then both pause etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/4 "2016-04-06T02:45:19Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I don’t think there’s a formal name for it HERESY!!! The Master [has already pronounced](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/493/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk) on this matter. > [@Cecil Adams](#): > > Worthy though these efforts may be, I can’t help thinking “shuggleftulation” doesn’t quite cut the mustard, so I’ve been trying to think up something better. The possibilities so far include sidewaltz, minueticate, and (my personal favorite) doing the concrete quadrille. No sensitive person can fail to be impressed by the poetry of these suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/5 "2016-04-06T03:11:06Z")
In Woonsocket RI this would be called _swaying side by each_. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/6 "2016-04-06T15:37:12Z")
I’m pretty sure _The Meaning of Liff_ covered this one. Ah yes: > [@](#): > > DROITWICH (n.) > > A street dance. The two partners approach from opposite directions and try politely to get out of each other’s way. They step to the left, step to the right, apologise, step to the left again, apologise again, bump into each other and repeat as often as unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/7 "2016-04-06T15:57:39Z")
“two people are walking together and they both move the same way” Not walking at each other. Moving side to side, as in walking to the left or right while facing forward, is commonly referred to as “strafing” in the video game world. Doing it in a military formation would be “left step/right step”. Two people walking together and moving the same way might be called “in step” or “in unison” in general terms. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/8 "2016-04-06T16:04:38Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > When two people are walking together and they both move the same way, what’s this called? Harmony? ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/9 "2016-04-06T16:08:06Z")
Street Beat! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/10 "2016-04-06T19:06:08Z")
“in tandem” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/11 "2016-04-06T20:47:20Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > “two people are walking together and they both move the same way” > Not walking at each other. I don’t think the OP is clear enough to determine this conclusively one way or the other, but I’m guessing that what he meant to refer to is the “droitwich” or “sidewaltz” or “avoidancing” described in previous posts. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/12 "2016-04-06T23:24:49Z")
If they’re headed in the same direction, they’re merely in step with each other. Unless they’re carrying it to an exaggerated extreme, like during the opening credits of The Monkees television show. If they’re headed towards each other, it’s the avoidance, though some of the other names for this are equally descriptive and certainly more amusing. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/13 "2016-04-07T04:00:42Z")
It’s either the oompa lumpa dance from Willy Wonka movie [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja8V8Mf4xLs) around 55 seconds in. or most likely “The Goomba Sway”. The elevator scene from Super Mario movie with the Goombas. Swaying starts about 2:45 in. > **[Google](https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=super%20mario%20bros%20elevator%20scene)** > > Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/14 "2016-04-07T07:45:03Z")
[Abreast.](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/abreast) FFS, it’s not an obscure word, it’s standard vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/15 "2016-04-07T11:53:57Z")
Synchronicity? ---
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/16 "2016-04-07T12:49:42Z")
I meant walking towards one another, sorry ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technical-term-for-people-moving-side-to-side/751316/17 "2016-04-07T13:25:14Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > I meant walking towards one another, sorry You mean like the[mirror scene from Duck Soup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5lU52aWTJo)?